Shady Side Academy varsity tennis players Emma Perelman, Amanda Murphy and Madison Mordoh raised more than $10,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation through the sixth annual Swing for a Cure event, held March 3 at the Citiparks Mellon Tennis Bubble. It marked the highest amount raised in the event's history.
Swing for a Cure is a tennis clinic fundraiser for children ages 4-14 which takes place once a year. The clinics are taught by SSA varsity tennis coach Tom Mercer along with Perelman, a USTA nationally ranked junior player, and her SSA teammates, Murphy and Mordoh.
Emma's older sister, SSA alumna Sara Perelman '11, created Swing for a Cure six years ago to raise money for JDRF. She combined her passion for tennis with her desire to help her then-newly diagnosed 4-year-old cousin. Initially intended to be a one-time event, Swing for a Cure was such a success that she continued her fundraising efforts each year until she left for college in 2011. (Sara now plays NCAA Division I tennis at Cornell University). Emma continued the tradition in 2012 and to date, the team has raised more than $45,000 for this worthwhile cause from sponsorship and enrollment fees.
Congratulations, girls!
Visit the Swing for a Cure website.
Read the Feb. 27 feature article in The Herald about the event.
